AMERICANS are still nervous about visiting Britain but the outlook is brighter.

The number of trips to the UK made by North Americans in June totalled 440,000, a 17% fall on the figure for June last year, the Office for National Statistics said yesterday.

In contrast, visits by western Europeans rocketed 17% to 1.53 million in June and helped overall overseas visits for the month to total 2.41 million, an 8% rise on the June total last year.

The reduction in the number of traditionally big-spending Americans meant that overall overseas visitor spending in the UK in June dipped 7% to &#xA3;1.O2bn.

Spending for the first six months of the year dipped 2% to &#xA3;4.8bn.

Total visits for January-June this year were up 1% to 11.0 million.

VisitBritain spokesman Elliott Frisby said, "Americans do appear to still be a bit nervous about travelling

but our TV advertising campaign in the USA has led to a lot of bookings and this renewed interest should show itself when figures for the key tourist months of July, August and September are published.

The chief executive of VisitBritain, Tom Wright, said, "The June figures are very encouraging. Forward bookings also look more positive and combined with the number of British people holidaying at home this year we can conclude that the prospects for UK tourism are much improved this summer."